Shadows of the Pine Forest
by Seanchaithe the Storyteller
Summary: After a surprising turn of events, Dipper and Mabel Pines are brought back to the sleepy town of Gravity Falls to fight for their Uncle's legacy, all the while struggling to uncover the events that occurred during their time away. But there is caution to be held- nothing is ever as it seems. After all, you never know what dangers may be lurking in the shadows of the pine forest.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! Welcome to my first multi-chapter fic! I hope you all like it and if you do, reviews are much appreciated! Enjoy~!**

o000o

 _Gravity Falls' own man of mystery Stan Pines has been reported missing. Locals say the Mystery Shack, run by Mr. Pines, has not been open for nearly two weeks. He has not been seen in town during this time._

" _He just seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. It's impossible!"_

 _He was last seen wearing a black suit and white dress shirt with a dark red bowtie, a fez about the same color decorated with a yellow crescent shape, and black thick-rimmed glasses. Immediate family of Mr. Pines has been contacted, and is quickly becoming concerned._

" _Stan wouldn't just desert his business. He imagined tourists as wallets with legs. They're searching the Shack for any clues and nothing's come up yet but…we're trying not to assume the worst."_

" _Besides, Stan's tough! He can handle himself just fine. Yeah, sure he can…"_

 _Anyone with information should contact the Gravity Falls police department immediately._

o000o

 _Stanford Pines has vanished without a trace._

" _We're here with former child star Gideon Gleeful, business rival of Pines. How are you feeling about all of this, Mr. Gleeful?"_

" _Well, it's been nearly four weeks now. The rivalry game sure isn't any fun with only one player. I'll tell you one thing though, the town sure has been…quieter without the old man around."_

 _There's been no sign of activity in or around the Mystery Shack since early July, almost a month ago. Obviously the longer he's missing, the more concerned both his family and Police are becoming._

o000o

 _Police are continuing to search for resident Stan Pines after being reported missing over six weeks ago. Local grocery store employee Jimmy Toss reported having spoken to Mr. Pines the last day he was seen in town._

" _He looked like he was in a big rush to get his groceries. Maybe even a little stressed. He didn't want to play 'toss me a dozen eggs' like we always do, and the last time that happened was only because he had no hands. I'm worried about him."_

 _Police have been searching far and wide, but so far there has been no sign of him. No evidence of foul play has been suspected, nor sign of a struggle. However, investigators were able to identify multiple bottles of prescription heart medication. Mr. Pines' family was unaware of the health problem, and it has been determined by healthcare professionals that without the medication chances of survival are very slim. If anyone has seen or heard from Mr. Pines, please contact local police._

o000o

 _The investigation concerning Stanford Pines has officially been held. Police are drawing back until any further leads are revealed, but in the meantime, the case will remain open._

o000o

 _Local businessman Stan Pines, owner of famous tourist trap 'The Mystery Shack' has been presumed dead by detectives of the GFPD. At this point, after almost several weeks, healthcare professionals say it is extremely unlikely that Stan will have survived without the necessary medication and medical treatment for his condition. The search following today will be one of body recovery. Our sympathy goes out to the entire Pines family for the loss, and to all the citizens of our small town who found Stanford to be not just a cunning businessman, but an overall charming man to whom we could all, in some way, relate to. A memorial will be held on September twelfth at City Hall for those who wish to say their last goodbyes and send their final prayers to our departed Man of Mystery._

o000o

 **Well that happened! I know this was a bit of a heavy way to start a story, but don't you worry…it's all part of the plan. *rubs hands together deviously* If you liked it or have any helpful feedback, feel free to leave a review. See you soon with the first official chapter!**


	2. Drowning in Sorrow, Hope for Tomorrow

~0~0~0~

"Ah yes, here we are. The last will and testament of Stanford Pines."

Dipper shivered in the cold, dull office. A man with scruffy-looking stubble wearing a smooth black suit crossed the room to pull up a chair opposite to him. Face straight, he gently placed a folder down between them. It looked old and worn, and was beginning to yellow around the edges.

Dipper felt a warm, soft hand cover his own, and looked up to meet his sister's glance. Her eyes were glassy, yet a small, watery smile tugged at the corner of her lips. It was obvious she was trying to hold it together for him. A lump quickly formed in his throat, but Dipper made a great effort to stay just as strong as Mabel was for him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Pines?" The man spoke, tearing Dipper's gaze away from his sister's. "I know this is hard, but there are matters to discuss."

Mabel cleared her throat and gave her brother's hand a quick squeeze. "We know. Please continue."

The man opened the folder and rifled through the papers a bit, before finally pulling a single sheet out. Dipper watched the man's dark eyes as they scanned over the page, and after a moment, they stopped. He made no sounds nor movement for a few more seconds, and Dipper shifted in his seat.

He always was uncomfortable in the presence of lawyers.

"I…I'm sorry, Mister…"

The other finally looked up from the paper. "Denver."

"Mr. Denver," Dipper continued. "What kind of matters are we talking about here?"

"Well. There's the finances, insurance, estate-"

Mabel brightened just a little. "Oh right! I almost forgot about that one. When can we sign for the Mystery Shack?"

"Yes, about that…" Denver started, scratching at the back of his neck. "There was a small…issue regarding the estate."

Dipper furrowed his eyebrows at that, and Mabel frowned.

"Wait- issue?" She wondered, squeezing her brother's hand just a little tighter.

Dipper responded with a small, reassuring smile, before turning back to the man sitting across from him. "What issue? Surely it shouldn't be too hard to collect and sign all the paperwork."

"Well, that's the problem," Denver said, adjusting himself a little and settling back into the chair. It seemed he was just as uncomfortable as the twins at having to give them this kind of news. He sighed and folded his hands together on the table. "You won't be signing any paperwork because the estate was not left to you."

Dipper gasped, nearly choking on the sharp intake of air. " _What?_ "

"What do you mean it wasn't left to us?" Mabel squeaked. She leaned forward a little to get a look at the paper the lawyer was holding, as if she didn't believe him. Noticing this, he frowned and passed it over for her to scan with her own eyes. Mabel did just that, and her heart began to sink when she realized he was telling the truth. "But…if not us, then who?"

"Actually, no one." Denver leaned forward to point to a section on the paper that was only blank space. "Wishes of Mr. Pines' property are intestate."

"In- intestate?" Mabel repeated hesitantly, rolling the strange word around on her tongue.

"Let me see that," Dipper barked softly, and carefully pried the slip of paper out of his sister's fingers. After looking it over for a few moments, he lifted his head with eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line. "This doesn't make sense. Stan wouldn't just leave the Mystery Shack without a beneficiary."

Denver hummed thoughtfully. "No other documents included in his will say anything about estate. This is it."

Mabel worried her bottom lip with perfectly straight teeth, a result of having to wear braces throughout her pre-teen years. "So…what's going to happen then?"

"Well, usually children or a spouse would inherit the property, but Mr. Pines had neither."

"We're the closest thing to immediate family he has," Mabel said.

"Shouldn't that mean we get the land?" Dipper added.

"Not necessarily. Legally, the government has control of the property and its investments now." Denver glanced between the twins before his eyes darted to the sheet that Dipper was placing back on the table. He avoided both pairs of eyes, leaving the twins to wonder just what had him so uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Which also means they have the right to sell it."

Mabel froze, eyes wide in disbelief and worry. "What…what are you saying?"

Denver released a tense sigh, which for some unknown reason really grated on Dipper's nerves. If he had to hear one more piece of bad news or look at his sister's heartbroken expression again, he was going to punch something.

"A few days ago, a young gentleman showed interest in the property." Denver paused, waiting for the worst kind of reactions from the two. "He offered quite the amount for it."

That was it.

Dipper's heart plummeted into his stomach, and he jumped up from his seat so fast that it nearly toppled over behind him. " _What?_ "

"That can't be allowed!" Mabel argued, looking for any sort of logic to bring to her side.

"I'm afraid it is. And unless you can top his offer by next week, the land belongs to him."

"Next _week?_ " Dipper repeated, voice steadily rising the more upset he got. He could already feel a massive headache coming on, and the rain wasn't helping much either.

Mabel crossed her arms with a frown that was more like a pout pulling on her lips. She was willing to rise up to the challenge. "What was the amount of the offer?"

Denver hummed, and then rose from the table as well. Dipper remained standing until the lawyer came back with a small slip of paper and handed it to him. He looked at it as they both sat down, and he realized the only thing written on it was one very neatly printed, very _large_ number.

Mabel watched her brother's face grow pale, and the longer he stared at the little piece of paper, the harder it was to bury her curiosity. After a few moments she couldn't take it anymore and leaned over to look over Dipper's shoulder. When she read the number, her complexion went just as white.

"You're kidding…right?"

Denver frowned and straightened his tie. "Ms. Pines, I take my job very seriously. I rarely ever _kid_."

"Hmph. That explains why lawyers are so grumpy," Mabel huffed under her breath. Luckily, the man didn't seem to hear it. Either that, or he simply chose to pretend he didn't.

Dipper, on the other hand, shot her a light look while Denver's eyes were elsewhere. He managed to regain the other's attention by clearing his throat. "So, this man…did he say why he wanted the property so much?"

"I can't disclose that inform-"

"It's our uncle's shack!" Mabel cut in, silencing the rest of Denver's excuse. "At the very least we have the right to know what's going to happen to it."

For a moment Denver looked like he was going to groan in annoyance, but he kept up his professional appearance. Thinning his lips into a straight line, he answered in a flat tone. "He wanted to use it for some kind of research base. And…he did say something about renovations."

Mabel's eyes went wide as saucers.

 _No._

"Oh my god," Dipper breathed, slumping back into his chair. He rubbed his forehead, which was now pounding mercilessly.

"He's going to destroy the shack!" The older of the twins wailed. "The only thing we have left of Grunkle Stan… And it's not like either of us, even put together, have the money to top _that_ amount."

"Mabel, calm down," Dipper pleaded softly, and lightly tugged on his sister's arm. "It's okay. We'll just get this guy's information so we can find him and tell him to-"

"I'm not permitted to disclose any of his personal information, either."

"Oh, come on!"

Dipper cleared his throat. "Look, Mister…"

 _Remember the name. Remember the name. Damnit, Dipper!_

"Denver."

Dipper mentally face palmed. "Right, right. Denver, sorry. Uh, Mr. Denver…this building means everything to us. We spent some of the best summers of our life there."

The lawyer's facial expression didn't waver, and if anything, he almost looked a bit skeptical. Dipper decided to amp it up a notch.

"Not to mention it's pretty much the last thing we have to remember our uncle by. We lost him, and if we lose the shack too, we'll both be devastated. I mean, more so than we already are."

"Mr. Pines, I would love to help you," Denver said, and for a moment, the twins felt a tiny bubble of hope rise to the surface. "But I can't."

Their hope deflated like a balloon.

"I can't legally give you this man's information. I'm sorry." Denver checked his watch before gathering up the papers on the table and placing them neatly into the folder. "I have another appointment, please excuse me."

Dipper and Mabel watched with quickly sinking hearts as their only chance of saving the Mystery Shack walked right out the door without so much as a backwards glance.

~0~0~0~

Mabel watched the windshield wipers go back and forth. Back and forth. Momentarily wiping away the heavy droplets that landed there before more came splattering down.

Her thoughts were blurred and distant like the lights of the town as they passed by, and Mabel found herself partially mesmerized. There was a certain chill in her spine however that wouldn't go away, lingering ever since their meeting with that lawyer and causing goosebumps to rise on her arms for the umpteenth time.

Mabel considered asking Dipper to turn the heat up in the car, but as she glanced over at him, his hard face made her think twice. It wasn't that she was scared of her twin, not in a million years. But even at this age they'd never had to deal with something this severe by themselves, and coupled with the pain of losing their uncle, was quite the baggage to carry.

Worries began to swim around in her head, nagging and pulling at her, but she forced them back. She wouldn't let herself be dragged into the darkness, wouldn't let the sadness and despair take control. Besides, she had to stay strong for Dipper. He acted as if he wasn't torn apart inside, but Mabel knew different. She knew he was just as devastated as she was, but each had their own ways of dealing with the loss.

Mabel could see what was starting to develop, and she wouldn't stand for it. She wouldn't let herself be shut out.

"Hey, Dipping Sauce," she tried, shooting him a watery smile even though his eyes were trained on the road. "You're awfully quiet. What's on your mind?"

He didn't respond right away, which was to be expected. Though after a small exhale, he finally turned his head for just a moment and met her gaze. "Everything? Nothing. I don't know."

To anyone else it would have been a confusing answer, but after being inseparable for 23 years, Mabel spoke fluent Twin.

"I know exactly how you feel," she replied, subconsciously pulling her sweater sleeves over her hands and bunching up the fabric for comfort. "All this lawyer stuff is starting to get really stressful. I wish Grunkle Stan were here. He'd know the perfect con that could get us out of it." She forced a small giggle, but her mild attempt at humor did nothing to lighten the mood.

Dipper's eyebrows sank a little. "If Stan were here, we wouldn't be having to deal with them in the first place."

"That's true…" Mabel trailed off thoughtfully. She turned her head to stare out the window and watch the droplets run down the glass. She needed a distraction.

Spotting two drops beside each other, Mabel waited and watched to see which would reach the bottom of the window first. The little racing game continued for a whole series of rain drop pairs, and for a moment she was actually able to forget how heavy the weight of their situation really was.

Dipper on the other hand was still trying to swallow that painful lump in his throat, the one that made his eyes itch and face feel hot. The more he tried to focus on the road, the more unwelcome thoughts floated through the barriers of his mind. As much as Dipper was mourning the loss of his uncle, there were so many things about the entire situation that just didn't sit right with him.

It was so un-Stan-like to just leave without telling the twins at the very least, to forget all his responsibility and leave it and everyone behind, to dump every repercussion and consequence of his past actions onto those that loved him the most. It wasn't fair to them, and though he tried hard to conceal it, Dipper was angry. He was angry at Stan for all this, leaving them to deal with lawyers and insurance companies and now this business about the shack…

It was just too much.

How was he supposed to have any room to mourn? How was he supposed to feel sad about the loss if whenever he thought about Stan he started steaming? How could their uncle, the one they spent so many amazing summers with, up and leave them without even a notice? A goodbye?

Dipper forced himself to breathe and un-clench his teeth. He didn't want Mabel to feel any worse than she already did. He knew she was trying to do her best to be strong and support both of them, but he also knew that to balance it out he had to offer some support as well.

Turning his head to look at her briefly, he noticed she was watching the raindrops like she always used to do when they were younger. Well, in their teens anyways, which was about the point in their lives when their parents started fighting. Dipper hadn't seen his sister use the raindrop game in a long time, and to his surprise it brought a sting of pain to his heart.

He just wanted to protect her. From everything and everyone. He hated seeing her hurt, knowing there was nothing he could do about it. But then, sitting there in the cold silence wasn't doing any good for either of them.

Dipper reached forward and clicked on the radio, turning the knob to search for a good station. This drew Mabel's attention away from the window and pulled a little smile from her when an old _Several Timez_ song began to play.

"Dipper…" She said, smile quickly faltering as soon as it had appeared. "What do you think that guy is gonna do with the shack?"

The question took him a little by surprise, and Dipper found he could only give a completely honest answer.

"I don't know." His voice wavered a bit, revealing the depth of his uncertainty. "But that's only if he gets it."

"Where will we stay if he does get it?" Mabel worried. "There isn't a single motel in town. We'll have to move back to Piedmont and get jobs and a smelly old apar-"

"He's not going to get it, Mabel." Dipper argued, abruptly cutting her off. He tried to relax his fingers, which were now gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Mabel frowned and folded her hands in her lap. She stared down his profile, and he made no move to look at her. "Okay, but what if he does?"

"He _won't_ ," Dipper repeated, voice raised just a little. His sister huffed in response and he could see her turn away out of the corner of his eye. Dipper sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making sure to keep the other one firmly on the wheel. Raising voices and arguing wasn't going to get them anywhere, and they both knew it. "I'm sorry, Mabes. I didn't mean to snap. It's just…I'm so frustrated. And scared. And…ugh, just plain _exhausted_."

"…Maybe you need a break."

Dipper managed a huff of a chuckle at that. "Maybe we both do."

Glancing out her window again, Mabel spotted a familiar building coming up on the right. They'd never been inside as kids, so naturally the curiosity was already welling up inside her. She turned back to her brother, some of the light having returned to her face. "Well then, what do you say we make these tomorrow's problems?"

Cocking an eyebrow, Dipper shot his sister a look that suggested she elaborate more on that. Then, following her eyes, he realized what exactly she was implying and where they ought to go. Granted, places like these were never a favorite of Dipper's, but he knew it would lift Mabel's spirits a little and let her have some fun for just a little while.

"Sounds good to me," Dipper decided, clicking on the turn signal right at the last second. As they pulled into the parking lot, the twins stared up at the place that had mocked them most of their teenage summers spent in Gravity Falls.

They parked, and Mabel very nearly hopped out of the car, a hint of her usual charisma returning. "C'mon Dip, let's go get us some drinks!"

Dipper shut the car door and pulled his jacket further over himself as he followed his eager sister into the bar.

~0~0~0~

 **Hope you all liked the first chapter! Stay tuned for more coming up soon. Thanks so much for reading!**


	3. Rock Bottom

o000o

The minute they walked into the building, Dipper and Mabel were greeted with the chatter of happy people and an overall warm buzz in the air. They sat down at the long counter, each in their own barstool, and were greeted right away with the bright grin of a young bartender who wasted no time in taking their orders.

"What can I get for you tonight, little lady?" He asked, slinging a rag over his shoulder as he eyed the older of the twins up and down. Dipper cleared his throat, but the bartender purposefully ignored him.

Mabel blushed, though she chose not to encourage the small flirtation. Normally she'd be giggling like mad, flipping her hair every which way to attract just a little more attention to herself- but this time was different. This time, she couldn't even bring a bubble of a giggle to the surface. "A Shirley temple, please."

The bartender's demeanor dropped, and he frowned as though she'd made a bad joke. "Hm. Alright. And you?" He asked, turning to Dipper. He'd already pulled out a few of the ingredients for his sister's order.

"I'll just have a beer." Dipper murmured, thoughts from earlier today still rushing around in his head. He tried to force them to the back of his mind, but to no avail. The frown he'd been sporting most of the day steadily deepened. The only thing that brought him out of the painful stupor was the light nudge on the arm he received from his sister. Blinking a couple times, he turned to meet her gaze. Mabel's expression was soft and forlorn, a beacon of support and sympathy for her brother even in the dark recesses of his mind.

Dipper was barely able to return it. He opted to direct his frown at the man on the other side of the counter who, apparently, was now mocking his choice of drink.

"Oh, come on now. You should be a little more adventurous like your sister here," the bartender chimed.

"Whoa," Mabel cut in, suddenly shocked. She stared at the man in awe. "How'd you know we were siblings?"

The bartender chuckled and gave a light shrug. "Lucky guess." Then suddenly, an incredibly wide grin split his face in two and he snapped his fingers before turning to address Dipper again. "You know what? I've got it. I'm gonna make you something and it'll be a surprise."

"I don't like surprises," Dipper mumbled.

"O-hoh, you'll like this one!" The man chirped, clearly oblivious to the other's sour disposition. He waltzed off to the back wall where all different kinds of liquor sat on the shelves. Grabbing a couple bottles, along with a few other ingredients, he began to make the drinks. Dipper and Mabel watched with eyebrows raised as the man skillfully twisted the bottles around in his hands, pouring and stirring. It was mesmerizing in a way.

"Here you go!" He chirped, finally placing both drinks on the counter in front of the two.

"What is this?" Dipper asked skeptically. He eyed the brown liquid content of his glass. It didn't look very appetizing.

The bartender sent him a little smirk as he wiped the counter clean. "Have a taste."

Dipper still looked unsure, to wit his sister chuckled and softly shoved his arm. "Come on, Dip. It's not gonna kill you." After taking a sweet sip of her own cocktail, she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Also you might hurt his feelings."

Dipper was about to snort at the comment, when a sudden stab of pain in his chest caused him to freeze in place. An old image flashed across his vision.

" _Dipper, you wouldn't want to hurt my feelings, would you?"_

 _The brunet rolled his eyes. "Grunkle Stan, I'm not eating whatever that is. It looks like it would kill me."_

 _Huffing a bit, the older man placed his hands on his hips. He might have looked intimidating if it weren't for the 'Kiss the Cook' apron he had tied around his waist._

" _Look Kiddo, I slaved over that hot stove for ten whole minutes making what passes as dinner for the both of you, all out of the goodness of my heart. It's what's on the menu, so eat up. No complaining."_

 _Dipper grumbled, hunching over his bowl. Mabel giggled at his antics, but made no move to touch her own meal._

 _Dipper poked and prodded at it with his fork. He gasped suddenly as his hand slipped, sending a large chunk flying over the table. And of course, with his luck, it landed directly on top of Stan's balding head. The old man whipped around, eyes wide._

" _Alright, what's the big idea?" He demanded. Two beady eyes landed on a stunned looking Dipper, fork still in his hand. The eyes narrowed. "Why, I oughta-"_

 _SPLAT._

 _Another blob of mush hit Stan's chest like a dart to a bullseye, causing him to stumble back a step._

" _FOOD FIGHT!" Mabel screeched, scooping up another handful to, this time, hurl in her brother's direction. Dipper squeaked and ducked, but he wasn't quick enough and ended up with the clumpy substance soaked into the fabric of his favorite blue vest. Stan began to laugh along with his niece, chuckles growing louder by the second._

" _Alright, you knuckle-heads. Let me teach you a thing or two about how to conduct a_ proper _food fight…"_

"Dip? You okay?"

Dipper blinked. The memory slowly began to fade, but that wasn't near good enough; he firmly shook his head to rid himself of it completely. The drink still sat in front of him on the counter, and he scooped it up without a second thought, gulping it down.

Mabel and the bartender watched with opposite expressions as Dipper began to splutter and cough, mouth twisting up as if he'd just eaten something extremely sour.

"Dipper!"

The brunet wiped his mouth clumsily, setting the glass back down on the counter with a little too much force. "That was disgusting! What the hell was that?"

The bartender frowned at the mess the other had made, but said nothing of it. Instead, he calmly grabbed a damp rag and began to wipe the counter clean. "Well you weren't supposed to chug it like that, genius. It was a caramel apple sangria. Meant for sipping, see?" He mimed holding a glass in his hand, demonstrating how to carefully bring it to his lips. He took a dainty, imaginary sip.

Dipper did more than frown this time; his lip curled upwards in a half-snarl.

"Maybe if you'd actually gotten me what I _wanted_ we wouldn't be _having_ this problem."

"Dipper _please_ ," Mabel barked lightly, finally drawing her brother's full attention towards her. She only ever raised her voice when she was upset, and Dipper's heart had already begun to sink with the realization that he was the one who'd just made it happen. "This is supposed to be a fun night. Just…try to relax and enjoy yourself, okay? Just try?"

The longer he stared at his sister's pouting face, the more he felt his anger and irritation melting away. He had to get it together. If not for himself, then for her. For Mabel.

"Okay," he said softly, struggling to lift his lips into a smile of sorts. "I'll try. Hey- wait a minute. Isn't this your favorite song?"

Mabel immediately perked up. If she were a dog, her ears would have lifted high, listening intently for the familiar tune Dipper had referred to. Sure enough, the notes of a famous _Tyler Quick_ song began to register in her eardrums. Mabel almost squealed with joy, and she scrambled off her barstool.

"What kind of bar plays this type of pop music, anyway?" Dipper mumbled to no one in particular. His eyes caught his sister's movements, and he turned around in his seat. "Hey, where are you going?"

"This place is dead," Mabel scoffed, walking backwards out into the middle of the large space. "Time to liven things up in here! Am I right?"

Dipper's eyes widened. She wasn't going to-

Oh, yes. She absolutely was.

There, in the midst of tables and people, his crazy sister began to dance. She danced like no one was watching, when in fact, she was attracting many strange looks. Dipper couldn't believe his eyes when she motioned for a young couple dressed up quite professionally to join her. Instead of averting their eyes or walking away as he thought they'd do, they simply laughed, shrugged their shoulders, and danced their way across the floor to join her.

That was only the beginning however; soon Mabel was surrounded by a massive clump of people, all jumping and moving along to the beat while attempting to belt out the lyrics of the song at the same time. Dipper couldn't help it- he started to laugh. At this point he really shouldn't have been surprised that his sister would do something such as this; start a huge flash mob, in the middle of a _bar_ of all things. Still, it was quite the sight to see _and_ hear. He was ninety-nine percent sure that no one in the mob of people actually knew all the words to the song.

"You should get in there. Looks like fun."

Dipper jumped a bit at the sudden voice. It was far too high-pitched to match the person it was connected to, in his opinion. The bartender leaned against the counter and grinned at him, all golden eyes and angular jaw. His freckles seemed almost luminous against his dark, tanned complexion.

Dipper long blinked. Of course, this was all just professional observation.

"I'm fine. Dancing in public places is more my sister's thing," he said, fixing his eyes on the shiny varnish of the wooden counter. Anything to focus on that would draw his thoughts away from other things, especially since he'd just lost his best distraction to a mob of intoxicated, dancing hooligans.

The bartender hummed thoughtfully. "Seems you two are going through a bit of a rough time."

Dipper blinked again, eyebrows furrowing, and he raised his gaze to meet the other's. "I don't really think that's any of your business." He immediately regretted the words the moment he bit them out, but the other man didn't seem the least bit phased.

He'd probably heard far worse. He did work in a bar, after all.

"Ugh, sorry. I'm just…" Dipper sighed heavily, raking a hand through his thick mess of hair. There were no words he could have said that would come even remotely close to describing how he felt, and even so, he didn't feel the need to spill his guts to a complete stranger. "How'd you guess?"

"Well, believe it or not, I've seen this kind of thing happen before." The bartender used a hand to gesture out towards the sea of dancing people, Mabel still squished in the centre of it all. "Well, not this _exactly_ but…you know what I mean."

Dipper followed the gesture with his eyes, and once they landed on Mabel, he felt a small tug on his heartstrings. Her face was lit up with pure joy, more than he'd seen her experience in over a month.

At least one of them was having a good time.

"Also-"

The bartender's voice pulled Dipper's gaze back onto him.

"-you're probably the grumpiest person to ever come in here who didn't get stood up or puked on."

Dipper's jaw dropped, and he immediately jumped on the defensive. "I am _not_ grumpy."

"You kidding me? You totally are!" the bartender snorted, suddenly ducking down beneath the counter. Dipper's eyebrows came together in confusion, and he crossed his arms on the counter as he waited impatiently for the other to come back up.

Who did this guy think he was, anyway? One minute he's trying to be sympathetic and the next he's insulting him? Dipper scoffed out loud when he realized he honestly didn't know which was worse. After a few moments though, curiosity got the best of him, and he began to lean over to see what the other was doing down under the counter. He could hear glass clanking, but that was about it.

Not two seconds later that same bob of blonde hair popped right back up without warning, nearly clocking him in the jaw. Dipper grunted and quickly leaned as far back on his stool as he could without losing balance and falling right off of it.

"Dude, watch- wait. Is that…?"

"I figured you could use some something a little stronger than sangria," the blonde explained, setting a glass bottle of something new on the counter. It was clear like water, and could easily be mistaken as such, but Dipper knew there was a major difference between the two. He watched, slightly stunned as the bartender pulled out not one shot glass, but two, and filled them both up with the translucent liquid.

"Are you even allowed to do that?" Dipper asked under his breath, head briefly turning to look around for any signs of management or authority.

The bartender tilted his head to the side innocently, as if he wasn't aware of his own actions at all. The steadily growing grin that caused his lips to lift upwards said different, however. "Do what?"

"That. Drink. Aren't you on the job?"

Face unmoving from its smug expression, the man replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about." Dipper shook his head and watched with eyebrows raised up to his hairline as the man in front of him downed the shot in one, clean gulp. Never before had he seen such a smooth shot taken by anyone, as if it were only water in the glass all along. If he was honest with himself, it was kind of impressive.

"Alright, your turn."

"What?" Dipper murmured. Catching eyes with the bartender, he registered a darting motion that went back and forth between the other shot left and himself.

 _Oh._

"I hope you're not expecting me to drink that."

"Well I'm not expecting you to sing to it."

Dipper screwed his face up tight, expression suggesting that the man before him was certifiably insane. "What even- you know what, forget it. I don't do hard liquor."

He did nothing but laugh out loud at the brunet, throwing his head back as his shoulders bounced with each hard exhale. "Never mind that, quit being such a chicken and drink! It'll help, trust me." He shoved the glass forward a bit more so that it barely sat on the edge of the counter right under Dipper's nose, which wrinkled as the smell wafted upwards and hit his nostrils. Unwelcome and, unfortunately, very familiar.

" _Grunkle Stan, we're back!" Dipper called out, voice bouncing off the walls of the unusually quiet shack. "Soos gave us a ride home." He closed the door as Mabel kicked off her sandals, tiny bits of sand flinging every which way. Setting his large beach bag on the ground, his ears searched for the sound of their Uncle's familiar, gruff voice. No such sound could be heard. "Grunkle Stan?"_

 _Mabel sauntered past him and headed down the hall towards the stairs, stopping only to look over her shoulder and meet her brother's gaze. "He probably went to bed, Dipper. Try not to disturb him. Old people need their beauty sleep, Stan is no exception. If anything he could use a little more than average."_

 _With that, Mabel hopped up the stairs, taking them two at a time as she always did. It never mattered how tired or physically exhausted she was, which, after the day they'd had, was reaching its peak. Dipper didn't follow after her, however. As the responsible -or, as Mabel liked to call it,_ paranoid _\- sibling, he decided to quickly check up on his Uncle. It never hurt to make sure everything was as it should be, after all._

 _Dipper shuffled down the hall, old wooden floorboards creaking under his bare feet. The sound was oddly comforting. Light flooded out from the room at the end of the hall, which is where the boy made his final stop. Usually he wasn't supposed to enter Stan's office unless it was an emergency, but Dipper figured this was important enough._

" _Grunkle Stan?" He said softly into the door. "It's late. Mabel and I are going to bed. Maybe you should take a break for the night?"_

 _No response._

 _Gathering his reserve, Dipper took hold of the doorknob and twisted, pushing the door open just enough for him to peek his head inside. His eyebrows immediately shot up; Stan was slouched over his desk with his back facing the door, the only movements were the rise and fall of his upper back and shoulders with the deep breaths he took._

 _Dipper stepped into the room, begging the floorboards not to creak as loudly as those downstairs. The only source of light was a single lamp set on the large desk, which casted large and distorted shadows all around the room. Looking closer, Dipper noticed that there were all sorts of papers and folders and books scattered across the desk. Stan's cheek was shoved into the largest one there. He snored softly, in too deep a sleep to even remotely register the boy's presence._

 _Dipper shook his head. At least he knew where he got his late-night study tactics from. Taking extra precaution so to not wake the man up, Dipper quickly snatched up a light throw blanket from the other room and returned to drape it over his Uncle's shoulders and back. He didn't want to mess with any of the paperwork, but out of his own orderly ticks he collected the plate, bowl, and mug sitting there with the intention of setting them all in the sink for tomorrow. He clicked off the lamp, and silently ambled out of the room on the soft pads of his feet. As he closed the office door behind him, he got a strong waft of something unpleasant._

" _Ugh, what the…" Dipper cast his eyes down at the dishes, scanning for anything rotten or out of place. One odd thing caught his attention- the mug had no sign of a coffee stain inside it. In fact, a couple drops of water were collected at the bottom. Dipper lifted the mug to his nose, and just as quickly drew back. Sure enough, the horrible stench was coming from inside. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows, briefly glancing back at the office door before training his eyes on the mug he now held a good distance away from his nose. "Stan…" His voice felt hoarse, though he hadn't been yelling._

 _Whatever his uncle had been drinking from that mug, there was no way it was water._

Dipper's vision blurred. Not again. He couldn't handle this. Not today. He quickly realized that at this point, he needed all the help he could get.

"Fuck it," he grumbled, holding his breath and lifting the tiny glass full of repulsive liquid to his lips. He knew if he hesitated he wouldn't be able to go through with it, so without even giving it a second thought, he jerked his head back and downed the shot in one go. His throat burned as if it were on fire, and his hand immediately flew to his neck as he began to splutter and cough for the second time that night.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy!" The bartender suddenly chimed, a clear stitch of concern laced into his voice. He reached over to pat Dipper on the back, only to have his arm swatted away by the brunet. He drew back respectfully, holding his hands in the air as a clear indication of surrender. Then he folded them over his chest, found a comfortable leaning position against the counter, and waited until Dipper regained his composure. "That's some pretty strong stuff. Maybe we should have started you out smaller."

"Screw that," Dipper nearly growled. He slid the shot glass back over to the blonde, who silently raised an eyebrow at the gesture. "Fill it up."

The bartender made no move to do so. "I don't know. I'm not so sure you can han-"

"Yes I _can_ ," Dipper barked, successfully shutting the other up. "I can handle it. Just fill it up."

With a sigh of defeat and small shrug of his shoulders, the bartender picked up the same bottle and poured another shot. This time Dipper didn't even think about hesitating, swallowing the liquid faster than the first time around. And this time, only a few drops dribbled down his chin.

The bartender watched with pure amusement dancing in his bright eyes as Dipper slammed the glass down on the counter, body visibly wracked with shudders as the powerful taste lingered on his tongue. He smacked his lips a couple times before looking up at the man across from him, face still twisted contorted in disgust.

"Again."

About fifteen minutes and three shots later, Dipper had told the other man about his entire high school experience, ranted about why the television show _Dragonfly_ should not have been canceled, and currently had his head on the counter, humming indistinctively. The bartender chuckled lightly, catching the other's attention. Dipper looked up at him, and the two caught eyes.

"What's so funny?" He asked softly, words melding together but still distinguishable.

The blonde grinned, leaning forward on the counter until the two were near nose-to-nose. "Nothing."

"Ser…seriously, what?" Dipper pressed, eyes squinting as if that action alone would be enough to force the man to reveal all his secrets.

"What, what?"

The brunet chuckled, but still never broke eye contact. He continued to stare up at the other, eyes glazed over and finally, completely relaxed. "You're sta~ring at me again."

The bartender hummed and blinked a few times. He found he couldn't continue on with their little staring contest, arms and neck beginning to itch uncomfortably. With an awkward chuckle, he settled on swiping a fresh new rag and wiping a few of the glasses clean. They'd used quite a lot, after all. Or- Dipper had.

"For some reason I just can't shake the feeling that we've met before, that's all," he muttered as he stared off at nothing, hands moving robotically to clean and just keep himself busy overall.

"Hm. Maybe I just have one of those…those faces, y'know? 'Cuz, I _definitely_ would have remembered…meet- meeting _yo~u_ before."

The blonde stared at Dipper's limp form, expression both incredulous and amused. He would say that he felt pity for the pathetic man, but that wouldn't be true in the slightest. It was all too funny to be true. "That's it, I'm cutting you off."

Picking up the shot glass and bottle, he caught the other's quickly falling face out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait, whaa~?" Dipper struggled to lift his head from the counter, dark chocolate curls completely mussed up and bangs falling in his face, which at this point was fully flushed. The bartender tried not to ponder on the fact that it was amazing look for him. "Don't cut me off, I…I'm fi~ine! I can ev…even walk a s~straight line…see?"

Dipper squeaked loudly as his entire body weight dragged him down to the side, successfully pulling him off his barstool and into a crumpled heap on the floor. The bartender cringed at the sound of the thump, and slowly leaned over to peek past the edge of the counter at the groaning man.

"You really nailed that straight line."

A single finger rose up into the air, while the rest of the body remained immobile. The blonde snorted; it wasn't even pointed in his general direction, let alone at him specifically.

"Hey Dip, the dance floor was getting kind of- _oh my god what is happening here?_ " Mabel, whose forehead was now beaded with sweat and whose clothes clung to her form, screeched to a halt at the sight of her mess of a brother. "Dipper? Are you _okay_?"

"Oh, he's fine," the bartender chimed, failing to hold back a snicker. "He's just resting is all."

Mabel gaped, eyes darting between Dipper and the man at the counter wearing one of the widest, creepiest grins she'd ever seen. " _Resting?_ You call this _resting?_ Why the hell would you even let him drink this much?"

"Hey, I didn't let him drink more than the legal limit. It's not my fault he's a lightweight."

Mabel whipped her head up to glare at the man, red hot lasers shooting from her eyes while she bared her teeth at him. Luckily, it was enough to make him close his mouth for the moment. Crouching down, she was able to haul her brother up by his arms without much difficulty. Technically, it was like lifting her own weight.

"Mabe~el…" Dipper slurred as he struggled to stand, yet his tone was still more cheerful than it had been all day.

The older of the twins released a harsh sigh. "Come on, Dipper. We're going home."

Without even so much as a passing glance to the bartender, Mabel slapped a bill on the counter. "Keep the change, asshole."

Mabel helped Dipper walk to the door, arms wrapped around him, and then she helped him put on his coat and hat. His knees wobbled and buckled underneath him, but despite that, all he did was stare at his sister and smile. She would have felt happier about it if he weren't completely intoxicated, but still, it was nice to see after weeks upon weeks of nothing but frowns and blank, faraway looks.

The two of them left the bar and didn't look back.

The bartender stood behind the counter still, alone once again, the bill Mabel had left on the counter clenched in his fist. His face was frozen into that of complete and utter shock, body paralyzed on the spot.

It couldn't be. He wasn't that lucky.

That hat. He'd seen it before. The symbol on the front, he recognized it. See, he couldn't have cared less for names. That much wasn't important. There was always something bigger, more powerful than a name. Hence the reason he never bothered to learn them. But if this was what he thought it was, _who_ he thought it was, then this was all a terrible mistake.

The dark skinned man grabbed up every cent of the night's tips and rushed out of the bar without properly pulling on his jacket, frequently looking back, forth, and around as he walked along the dark, wet streets of the town.

Meanwhile Mabel's eyes, which had solely been trained on the road, shifted over to the passenger's seat for just a split moment. Dipper had passed out completely, forehead leaning against the window. Mabel sighed, returning her focus to the slippery streets ahead. Rain continued pelting down from above.

All she wanted was to fall into a deep sleep and not have to spend another moment in the real world, dreaming peacefully for all eternity.

But she was still awake.

Reality dug its teeth into her like a leech, slowly sucking away the light.

Stan was still gone.

o000o

 **Alright, i'll admit…this one kind of got away from me. Writer's block isn't fun, especially when you're trying to write in a major character *wink wonk* I hope you liked it nonetheless!**

 **Nelli3: Ahhh oh my gosh, thank you so much! That was what I wanted to do, just kind of jump right into the plot, haha. I'm so glad you're enjoying it! :D**


	4. Old Ghosts and New Demons

o000o

Dipper spent the majority of the next morning hauled up in the bathroom. He had a splitting headache, but that was the least of his worries. There was always Advil to fix things such as that. The thing that concerned him the most wasn't the churning of his stomach or the quaking of his legs. It was the blue ink scrawled across the inside of his arm.

Squirting more soap onto the already bubbly wash cloth, Dipper resumed his relentless scrubbing. The skin of his arm was already pink and sore, but he continued on with determination. Mabel had been there earlier to tell him he was overreacting, but he ignored her and continued to scrub.

"C'mon, Dipper. It's not coming off. Just leave it be for now and wear a long-sleeve shirt or something. Maybe you'll even change your mind about-"

"Mabel, there is no way I would ever change my mind about this."

"Why not?"

"You know why not," Dipper huffed.

Mabel bit her lip, wanting to say something but not having a clue how to word it right. After all, she knew she was pressing a sensitive topic. "You know Dip, it's been a few years now. Maybe it's time to...I don't know…move on?"

Dipper finally looked up, causing Mabel's heart to sink a little at the deep frown her brother was sporting.

"I _have_ moved on. Way, way on. So far on that even the _thought_ of-"

Dipper stopped himself. He inhaled deeply, unwilling to let past feelings resurface. His sister couldn't begin to understand any of this, so there was no purpose in trying to explain it now.

"Just- no, Mabel."

Mabel, deeply regretting entering such dangerous territory, subconsciously rubbed at her own arm. That didn't go as well as she'd planned at all. Eyes darting to the door, she felt her resolve strengthen and cleared her throat. A little cough escaped, though she intended it to be somewhat of a laugh. "Heh, it's well enough. He was kind of a jerk anyways."

Dipper said nothing and continued to scrub, wincing slightly at the pain. Eventually she sighed and left him to his own devices. The ink did come off after a while, leaving no sign of any more offending numbers or dashes there.

 _Good riddance,_ Dipper thought.

o000o

Downstairs, Mabel set two mugs of coffee on the table. She knew Dipper would come down eventually; he had to if he wanted his laptop. Mabel mentally praised herself for her cleverness and her ability to sneak around the shack without being seen or heard.

She giggled. _Kind of like a ninja._

Suddenly, the phone rang.

The brunette rushed to it just as she heard footfalls coming down the stairs. Tucking her hair away from her face, she lifted the phone up to her ear and greeted the person on the other line. "Hello?"

Dipper raked a hand through his own chestnut locks as he entered the kitchen, suddenly aware that he probably looked like death itself. His lips lifted in a tiny, thankful smile once he spotted the lone mug sitting on the counter. Wrapping his hands around it, he took his place at the table. He figured perhaps a little time without his face shoved into a monitor wouldn't be such a bad thing. Turning his head towards his sister, Dipper raised an eyebrow at her tone of voice as she talked into the phone.

"Really? And you can do that? Oh, thank you! When should I- tomorrow? Oh no, that's perfect. The sooner the better. Yes, I'll be in contact. Thank you again! Buh-bye, now." Ending the call, she sighed happily before catching eyes with her brother. "What up, Bro-Bro?"

"Who was that?"

"The employment agency."

Dipper's eyes widened substantially in honest surprise. "You already contacted an employment agency?"

"I'm just trying to get ahead of the game! I mean, if we want to get that sum by next week I figure we should start right away. I gave them your information too."

Dipper blinked owlishly. He'd always known Mabel to be grotesquely optimistic, but this was a bit of a stretch even for her. He slouched forward over his mug slightly and stared into it. "You really think we're going to be able to do it?"

Mabel nearly dropped the phone, startling the both of them. Whipping her head around to face him, she fixed him with an incredulous look. "I don't _think._ I _know._ I am not about to give up on the shack, and I hope you're not either."

A minute or two of silence passed between the twins after Mabel took a seat across from him, both sipping on their coffee without letting their eyes meet even once. Mabel felt she needed to do something, to fix her brother somehow. The calluses over his heart were thick, but there was always a way for her to get through them. There was always a special soft spot reserved just for her, and she knew that. It was only a matter of finding _something_ to say.

It was quiet in the kitchen without the radio on, as it always used to be. Stan would turn it on early in the morning to catch the news, which would wake up the twins and bring them downstairs. The three of them would eat their breakfast together and listen to the Gravity Falls Morning Show, laughing and shoveling food into their mouths.

Dipper couldn't take it anymore; he could practically feel the waves of sympathy and worry coming off his sister, and he wasn't sure he could endure the talk that would follow. He stood suddenly, picking up his mug and an apple from the bowl on the table, along with his laptop.

"I'm going to get dressed. Thanks for the coffee."

Mabel worried her bottom lip, standing just as Dipper was about to disappear around the corner. "Dipper. I'm sorry. About, you know, what I said in the bathroom. I wasn't trying to pressure you or anything, I just thought it might be a good idea for you to start getting back out there, y'know?"

"I don't need to _get back out there_ ," he replied, using his fingers to air-quote his sister's exact words. "I just need to finish this thesis."

Then he turned his back and headed up the stairs a bit hastily. He thought about Mabel sitting there alone at the table, holding her favorite mug in both hands to keep them warm as she always did. In his mind's eye he could clearly see the expression of pity for him on her face, and it both saddened and angered him. He just couldn't be around anyone else at the moment, knowing any little thing might make him snap. The best thing to do would be to just lock himself away in his room and continue working.

Work was always the best distraction.

o000o

A day passed.

Mabel went for her job interview and came back empty-handed. They'd told her she didn't have the necessary prerequisites for a position in business. She scoffed at that of course, arguing that bookkeeping was a lame job anyways. Dipper, now with bags starting to develop under his eyes, still sat at his computer with a brain swarming with jumbled thoughts and ideas and a heart filled with too many emotions to process. He held his head in his hands, lightly massaging his scalp with his fingers. It felt heavier, somehow. So did his heart.

Here he was, an entire day having passed by completely, and he'd barely gotten a page done. The light from the computer screen glared harshly at him, forcing him to wince as he finally lifted his gaze. Outside, the heavy pattering of rain on the roof and trailing down the storm pipe could easily be heard. It had been raining without cease since the day they'd arrived. Dipper allowed himself to stop, if only for a moment, and rest every part of himself. Closing his laptop, he let his eyes drift closed and his brain shut down, gently placing his forehead against the cool wood of his desk. He hadn't realized how hot his skin was until now, and he was thankful for the relief. In the dark, breathing softly, Dipper found himself slipping slowly into a place where he could block out the rest of the world, safe within the recesses of his imagination.

And then his bedroom door opened with an abrupt bang.

Dipper startled, nearly leaping from his chair.

"Alright, Dipper, I'm officially pulling the plug on this stupid hermit routine!" Mabel announced as she strut through the doorway and across the room, heading straight for the window. "You've been cooped up in here for over twenty-four hours. You need sunlight or else you'll shrivel up like a malnourished plant."

Dipper shrieked and shielded his eyes as Mabel yanked the blinds up, and she turned to shoot him a look of disbelief as he cowered away from the dull rays of sunshine. Clouds covered most of the sky, though there was still enough light to make the room substantially brighter.

"My god, it's worse than I thought." Mabel noted, wondering if she'd have to stop Dipper from pulling the blinds back down. _He's out of the office chair at least._

"Mabel, what are you doing? I'm working," Dipper moaned, rubbing his puffy eyes with the heel of his hand.

"No you're not," his sister argued while she fumbled around in his dresser. Raising an eyebrow at her actions, Dipper barely had time to process the pair of jeans that came hurdling toward him suddenly. Two mocha eyes peeked out from behind them, a little startled. Mabel frowned at him. "You're having a pity party, and I'm crashing it. Now put those on, wash your face, and meet me downstairs in ten. You also might want to consider putting a comb through your hair."

Dipper did nothing but blink as Mabel marched right back out the door, closing it behind her.

o000o

It was Dipper's turn to watch the wipers go back and forth across the windshield. He was slumped down into the passenger's seat, arms crossed and, though he would deny it, deep pout on his face. Mabel had insisted that he wasn't 'stable' enough to drive, going by the fact that he appeared to not have slept for over 20 hours. It was only after receiving the rare, business-meaning Mabel look that he shoved his stubbornness aside and handed her the keys.

Mabel breathed deeply as she drove, enjoying being out of the house. She even had the window cracked just the tiniest bit, despite Dipper's protest that he was getting sprayed.

"You know we've only got a few more days, right?" He said suddenly, voice crackling and slicing through the still silence of the car.

Mabel pursed her lips. "I'm aware, Dipper."

Dipper shot his sister a curious look. He was often baffled by her positivity, but in a situation such as theirs, he had no idea how she was able to keep it up. She could be a little naïve at times, but she wasn't stupid. She had to know that what they were trying to do was very unlikely to happen. He decided to drop the subject however, as Mabel's brow was furrowed already and he didn't want her getting upset while driving down a slippery, wet road.

Neither of them said another word until they hit the grocery store. Mabel sent Dipper to fetch a cart while she set to work on the list in her coat pocket. Speed walking down the fresh produce aisle, she completely missed the employee stacking assorted cheeses on a step-stool. Her and the employee made a small noise of surprise as their bodies collided, the employee wobbling on the edge of the stool. As soon as Mabel righted herself she caught the other's arm, yanking him back into a place of balance.

"Oh my god, I am so so sorry. Please, here. Let me help you with that. Uh, I was just sort of rushing and- oh god, i'm so-"

"Hey, hey. It's alright," the employee said, interrupting her apologetic rambling. "Look, no harm done. See?"

Mabel sighed in relief and couldn't help but smile a little at the way the employee held his arms out just so, a bit awkward but still charming. He was a bit of a lanky man, though there was an air about him that seemed...unusual, to say the least. "Thank you…" Mabel squinted her eyes, focusing them on the man's nametag. "...Thomas. Is that a british accent?"

He hummed, a smooth and deep noise that vibrated in his chest and gently past Mabel's eardrums. "Yes, that's right."

Mabel waited silently for more, but all the man did was stand and smile at her. It was when the silence was beginning to grow a little uncomfortable that she realized she wasn't getting a more extensive answer than that.

She cleared her throat and extended her hand. "Well it's nice to meet you then, Thomas. I'm Mabel!"

Thomas chuckled, shoving one hand into the front pocket of his dark jeans, while the other took Mabel's offered hand and shook it. "The pleasure is all mine."

Mabel studied his face, searching for something she wasn't quite sure of. Attention drawn to his soft grin, she was willing to bet that he was, at the very least, a gentleman above all other things. Oddly enough, it seemed to be contagious and she found herself grinning right back.

"So, is there anything in particular you're looking for?" Thomas asked after a few more moments of silence.

Mabel shrugged, eyes remaining glued on the dark haired man as she stared dazedly, ears still ringing with his honey-like voice. "Probably. But I completely forget what it is."

Thomas blinked a couple times as if confused, though soon after he quickly cracked a smile and let a few chuckles loose. It continued on like that for a while, that is until Dipper came back and cut the exchange short, a few items already piled up in the cart.

"They were all out of 2% so I got...skim…" Dipper stopped before the two, eyes darting between them in confusion. His fingers absentmindedly drummed over the bar of the cart a few times as he waited in silence for either person to make a move to speak. No one did, so he cleared his throat albeit a little awkwardly.

Mabel seemed to perk up suddenly, as if awoken from a trance. "Oh, u-uh… Dipper, this is Thomas. He was just helping me find some things."

If Dipper didn't know any better, he would've sworn he saw a dusting of pink on his sister's cheeks.

"Well, uh...great. Let's head back then." Dipper said.

He took a firm hold of the cart and pushed it past the employee, who at this point was still staring silently with both hands shoved into his pockets. Dipper shivered as he brushed by him, no hesitation evident in his large strides. Mabel followed closely after, but not before waving politely to Thomas and shooting him a small smile. Despite being completely stressed about everything else, she felt strangely calm. A warm feeling crept over her, that perhaps this time she'd met someone worth talking to a second time. Unfortunately, she knew Dipper wouldn't share her opinion. He'd argue that it was too soon, and he'd be right.

Mabel sighed. _Baby steps._

o00o

"So you don't think he could have been useful at all?"

"Dipper," Mabel scoffed, flipping the windshield wipers off. The rain had stopped for now, but the twins knew it could just as easily start up again within minutes, seconds even. "I'm not going to whip out my flirting skills on some guy I just met simply for the sake of getting a job." She felt a little heat rise to her cheeks.

Dipper hummed, turning his head to look out the window. "Might as well put them toward something useful," he mumbled.

"Hey, don't you give me that. Not after last night. Or need I remind you about your little drunken fiesta with the bartender?"

Dipper frowned, and didn't answer. Mabel turned briefly to look at him before she had to return her eyes to the road. Lips pressed into a hard line, she continued on.

"Anyways. It wouldn't even have been worth it. I mean, a grocery store employee? That wouldn't make us a fraction of the amount we need."

Dipper half-chuckled, though it wasn't a nice sound. It was pained, and dripping with sarcasm. "Can we just accept the fact that no job is going to get us anywhere?"

"Of course it will! You just have to stay positive. Besides, I could never be bought for something as...menial, as that." Mabel screwed her face up as if the thought had offended her. She pulled up into the driveway of the Shack, sighing at the familiar comfort the sight of it was already providing.

Beside her Dipper scoffed, crossing his arms tighter over his chest. "You know what? You're right. I'm sorry. That was a stupid idea. Forget I said anything."

"Oh, come on. Don't do that." Mabel turned to give him a look as she pulled the key out of the ignition.

"Do what? Say stupid things? Apparently I can't, so you should probably just ignore me."

Before Mabel could utter a word of protest, her brother had already slipped out of the car and shut the door firmly. He headed straight toward the shack, long legs keeping up a fast pace with his heart, which he could hear hammering in his ears.

Mabel scrambled out after him, paying no mind to the groceries that still sat in the trunk. "Dipper! Why are you acting like this? You were fine a few minutes ago! This isn't like you."

"Oh?" Dipper whipped around, only about a metre from the porch. His face was already slightly tinted red. "And what is? What _is_ like me, because- heck, I sure would like to know!"

"Dipper-"

"Tell me, Mabel. Tell me! What's wrong with me? Give me my diagnosis."

"What are you-"

"Because that's what you do, isn't it? You just have to _fix_ everything all the time. Like how you tried to fix your friends after they stabbed you in the back. Remember that? Like how you tried to fix mom and dad-"

"Don't bring them into th-"

"But you couldn't! You couldn't fix them, and you can't fix _me._ So just _stop-"_

" _Dipper!_ Lower your voice," Mabel hissed, briefly glancing around to spot anyone who may have heard their arguing. The open, empty forest space surrounding them reminded her that they no longer had tourists walking around the shack all day, every day. A momentary stab of pain coursed through her chest. She furrowed her brow, returning her focus to her brother. "Why are you talking about mom and dad all of a sudden? Are you still angry with them?"

"No, I'm not- ugh, don't be ridiculous."

"Then what? _What?_ You're mad at _me_? Mad that I dragged you out of your dark little cave? Or that I didn't want to pimp myself out for a job? Or that I'm the only person around here who seems to care about getting the shack back? _"_

"God, Nevermind! You're never going to understand!" Dipper groaned, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"I can't unless you explain it to me."

"Oh look, there you go again, trying to fix it and make it all better. News flash Mabel, you can't! Contrary to what you might think, the world isn't all peaches and cream."

"Don't talk to me like I'm some _ignorant_ _kid_ , Dipper." The brunette snapped, tone sharp and suddenly very uncharacteristic. "I _know_ what goes on in the world. I watched two people who loved each other more than anything in the world split apart like fabric tearing. I watched my brother, the one person who matters most to me, spend years building up the most delicate, fragile trust, only to have it ruthlessly shattered by the very person it was meant for."

Dipper felt something tug at his insides, and his stomach churned. " _Don't_ …" He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut to fight the warm liquid already forming there. _Talking about it...never talk about it...you promised._

Meanwhile Mabel was holding back tears of her own, though not as well. They bubbled over the surface, gently spilling down her cheeks. "And now my own grunkle, my rock and my role model of so many years has disappeared off the face of the earth. And I can't do a single thing about it." She paused, breathing deeply. "I won't ever apologize for wanting to help whenever I can."

Dipper did not open his eyes. He could hear the choke of Mabel's voice, the teary waver that pulled hard on his heartstrings. He couldn't look at her. If he did, he knew he'd lose all resolve to that sad, wide-eyed look yet again.

"I don't need help. From anyone." He turned then without saying anything else, making his way up the steps of the porch.

Mabel watched him take hold of the door handle, knowing exactly where he was headed. Back to that dark room of pity and loathing, and this time she wasn't sure if she'd be able to pull him out of it. Grasping desperately at any topic to bring him back, she cried out, "Dipper, what about the shack?"

Stopping with one foot in the doorway, Dipper sighed deeply. "Give it up, Mabel. It's impossible. We lost."

The door slammed shut behind him, bouncing off the frame as it swung freely on its loose hinges.

Sniffing and licking her lips, Mabel tasted tears mixed with freshly fallen raindrops. She looked up at the sky. Sure enough, the rain had started back up again, and was now creating a spotted pattern on her sweater. Her fingers curled into her palms, clenching tightly.

"No. Not yet."

o000o

What's this? Character development? I promise you guys the billdip aspect will also start developing soon, I'm so sorry for traumatizing you with this sadness. This is a really low point for the twins, so it'll start going up from here I promise. Anyways hope you enjoyed reading and as always, comments and feedback fuel motivation! :-)


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